Pearl of Great Price

Pearls are unlike other precious materials: Metals and gems are formed in the earth; pearls come from a living creature. Also, pearls do not need to be cut or polished — they’re beautiful just the way they are. The actual science of how they are formed is profound: Pearls begin as an irritant inside the heart of the oyster, which secretes layer upon layer until the source is encased in lustrous coatings. What a perfect Christian metaphor for the redemptive value of suffering — that trials leave one with treasure. “The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls.